Random quote: I have to admit that I don't even try to speak Russian, though I understand it perfectly. I wouldn't want to insult the language by testing out my pronunciations - Lana Wood - (Added by: Chris)

I have been with my wife coming up 3 years (married 6 months) and we are just about to apply for her spouse visa so that she can come and join me in the UK. We have visited each other regularly since we met and i believe that we have collected all the relevant documents, but i am worried about the salary requirements.
I earn a basic of £18,300 per year that is topped up with a bonus that is payed every 2 months that takes me over 20k,. I know that younare allowed to include bonuses within your gross, but there is also a stipulation about calculating your salary at the lowest level. Can anyone shed any light on this...
The agency my wife is using has also asked her to have her diploma translated and notarised as well as her work experience (she currently runs 2 offices in China and Russia). I must say i find this a little odd as i thought the emphasis was on myself to provide all finacial data and her qualifications and experience would not be relevant for this type of application. Hoping someone who is a bit more experienced than me can give me some feedback.

cristoss - 2013-03-08 5:12 AM Hi, first time post and i was looking for a bit of advise.... I have been with my wife coming up 3 years (married 6 months) and we are just about to apply for her spouse visa so that she can come and join me in the UK. We have visited each other regularly since we met and i believe that we have collected all the relevant documents, but i am worried about the salary requirements. I earn a basic of £18,300 per year that is topped up with a bonus that is payed every 2 months that takes me over 20k,. I know that younare allowed to include bonuses within your gross, but there is also a stipulation about calculating your salary at the lowest level. Can anyone shed any light on this... The agency my wife is using has also asked her to have her diploma translated and notarised as well as her work experience (she currently runs 2 offices in China and Russia). I must say i find this a little odd as i thought the emphasis was on myself to provide all finacial data and her qualifications and experience would not be relevant for this type of application. Hoping someone who is a bit more experienced than me can give me some feedback. Thanks, Chris

If your wife is using an agency, then she should do as they say and pay them their bucks, they just gotta know better than any of the mere mortals on here who've done this visa application in the past.....

You don't need to have any diplomas or work experience translated unless your wife intends to use them for job applications in the UK, in which case she can do it when she gets here.
None of these documents are relevant to your application and the ECO will not even look at them.
The application will be considered on your income, your accomodation and whether the ECO thinks that your marriage is a proper marriage and not a marriage of convenience. So the onus is on you to provide documentary evidence to prove it is.
Your salary should be OK provided you can show that the bonus you get is regular and not just an occasional occurrence.

The only agency I would recommend you to use is RealRussia because they are the best in the business. I don't work for them and I don't have any connection with them apart from being a satisfied customer.
You don't need to use an agency if you have the correct and relevant documents.

Many thanks for the posts.. I just needed a bit of reassurance regarding the salary as the UKBA requirements seem a bit contradictory. I have used Realrussia for visas before now and found their service to be excellent, however my wife wanted to apply using an agency that she already had a relationship with via her business.. she is also applying from Russia to the consulate which i have heard is a quicker and more efficient process than applying via UKBA who are quite frankly a shambles. Im still a little confused as to why they have asked her for details regarding her diploma and work experience as, like the reply above confirms , it will have no bearing on the application.

cristoss - 2013-03-08 10:04 PM Many thanks for the posts.. I just needed a bit of reassurance regarding the salary as the UKBA requirements seem a bit contradictory. I have used Realrussia for visas before now and found their service to be excellent, however my wife wanted to apply using an agency that she already had a relationship with via her business.. she is also applying from Russia to the consulate which i have heard is a quicker and more efficient process than applying via UKBA who are quite frankly a shambles. Im still a little confused as to why they have asked her for details regarding her diploma and work experience as, like the reply above confirms , it will have no bearing on the application.

She cannot apply for a spouse visa for the UK, only you can do this, and you have to apply at the british consulate in moscow, st p's, or one of the others in russia....(although she can supply the paperwork and do any running around that may be needed and she must give her biometrics)...

It is your doccuments as well as some of hers that they wish to see...

In Moscow, RR are the best agency to use, they have the largest experience and success rate...

Russian agencies do not really pocess the necessary knowledge of the UKBA's requirements, they are ok for applying for visitors visas (Though they do tend to bend the rules slightly sometimes in my experience)....

I also feel that anyone coming onto this forum, asking for advice, then using such advice through another agency, is a cheek...

P.s. She cannot apply directly to the consulate, she must apply like everyone else via VFS Global...the consulates agents...

That's slightly aggressive.. I thought that this was a forum for people in a similar situation as myself.To be honest, my wife is taking care of everything her end using the documents i have supplied. My preference would have been to have applied independently but such is life and that's not what's happened. As advised i have used Realrussia before and think they are a great agency . If me looking for reassurance from others that have been in a similar situation has stirred up such a hornets nest with you then i guess im on the wrong forum.

cristoss - 2013-03-08 10:54 PM That's slightly aggressive.. I thought that this was a forum for people in a similar situation as myself.To be honest, my wife is taking care of everything her end using the documents i have supplied. My preference would have been to have applied independently but such is life and that's not what's happened. As advised i have used Realrussia before and think they are a great agency . If me looking for reassurance from others that have been in a similar situation has stirred up such a hornets nest with you then i guess im on the wrong forum. Chris

It wasn't meant in an agressive manner....

I have experienced too much from honest people using Russian agencies for many things inc visa's, and not getting a first class service.....There are many such, and they promise the earth, and what happens, well sometimes it ends up in court, other times, people just say "Its Russia", and move on.....

Had a spouse visa refused in november on this point...my earnings where 18,500 plus bonus...1 payslip out of the 6 was basic salary and they used this x 12 as the reason for refusal.If you intend going the bonus route make sure any 1 of the 6 payslips times 12 equates to over the 18,600...even a p60 stating you earned over 20k isnt going to make an ounce of difference with them

Thanks.. this is what i find contradictory. My bonus is paid every other month so will be visible on the payslips. I wasn't going to submit a P60, generally because they aren't issued until April and we are applying in the next week or so. I would have hoped that my payslips, confirmation letter from the gaffer and bank statements would suffice. Do you think its worth submitting this? What's your situation now? I would have thought that as it advises you can include bonus pay within your gross, you have good grounds for an appeal?

My circumstances will change on the 1st of april as i have received a large pay increase.Rules suggest its based on last 6 months payslips so the increase i have in salary wont cut it...so far i have 5 really good payslips with bonus etc and another coming in march .All i need is my p60 for this year which should appear around 7th april proving i earned over 18.600 and we are good to reapply.I have seen threads where applications have been refused without p60,I know it doesnt mention you need this but you DO

I hope it works out for you...I find it ridiculous that it distinctly specifys that you can include bonus pay put then puts the emphasis on the lowest value payslip rather than the gross annual. Do you have yo include the last 6 months or can you include any 6 months from the last year? It looks to me like its pot luck whether you get this visa or not and that they are just out to relieve you of your hard earned cash. Looks like i better wait for the P60 in April in any case. Thanks for the advice.

cristoss - 2013-03-10 4:36 PM I hope it works out for you...I find it ridiculous that it distinctly specifys that you can include bonus pay put then puts the emphasis on the lowest value payslip rather than the gross annual. Do you have yo include the last 6 months or can you include any 6 months from the last year? It looks to me like its pot luck whether you get this visa or not and that they are just out to relieve you of your hard earned cash. Looks like i better wait for the P60 in April in any case. Thanks for the advice.

cristoss - 2013-03-10 5:07 PM Then this will probably be a nail in the coffin as i am paid a bonus every other month. Alternate months are standard salary. A bit gutted about this to be honest as its the only stumbling block.

You could ask your company to give you a letter stating that they only pay bonus every 2nd month for business reasons, but that your total earnings per annum equate to £XX,XXX,

The visa section may well accept this if it shows your annual income to be above the minimum level...

Do you have any savings or something stashed away, whic can demonstrate your financial stability and when added to a lower salary, put you above the threshhold...

Salary confirmation letter from company states that bonus is payed every 2 months and i have about 1k spare cash (surprising after what we spent on the wedding). Don't know if this will hold any sway with them.

cristoss - 2013-03-10 5:21 PM Salary confirmation letter from company states that bonus is payed every 2 months and i have about 1k spare cash (surprising after what we spent on the wedding). Don't know if this will hold any sway with them.

It appears after some further investigation there are 2 categories (A &B). Category A would require 6 months payslips all averaging above the threshold. Category B requires you to provide x12 months payslips, backed up by P60 i would imagine, showing that you clearly gross over £18600 for the 12 months. So now just have to wait until the P60s are issued in April and we can apply.